News-04-30-18

Mendocino County will be getting a new cannabis authority. At its meeting last week the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for a joint powers agreement for the authority so it can oversee the new legalized marijuana industry. The Daily Journal reports on a presentation by the 1st District Supervisor Carre Brown — there was an effort so there would be an official organization in the state, the California Cannabis Authority so municipalities would have an entity handling everything including banking. Now the new authority locally will have a data platform to track tax payments, help various county departments with constantly updated information and give public health officials product information, which includes where it came from. Brown told the supervisors they’re considering various ways to handle banking like they do in Colorado and Washington state, who legalized recreational weed years ago.

A man on trial for the death of a man from Fort Bragg has been found guilty. The Mendocino County DA’s office reports Caleb Silver, formerly of Boonville, was convicted for the Dec. 2015 murder of Dennis Boardman. Court papers say Boardman was found dead at a home in the town the next week. But police say he had been dead at least six days when he was found. They say Boardman died of blunt force trauma. His pickup was also stolen at the time, and found in Carpenteria with the victim’s dog in it. Silver admitted back then he took the truck, but was not involved in the murder. Silver found guilty of first-degree murder and special allegations of using a hammer and knife to kill Boardman. He’ll be sentenced May 16th.

Scores of volunteers descended on Clearlake for a spring cleaning. Lake Co News reports the city of Clearlake, working with the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, Clearlake Waste Solutions and Citizens Caring 4 Clearlake sponsored Saturday’s annual Clearlake Clean-up Day event. The news site reports those picking up trash included elected officials, service clubs, citizens, and city staff. They report collecting as much as 120 tons of debris, 50 tires and five tons of scrap metal. There were more than 85 people who showed up to help.

Today’s the last day to get your permit to grow cannabis outdoors for your own use in Clearlake. The Code Enforcement Division released a statement saying under the city’s Personal Marijuana Cultivation Ordinance you have to have a permit to grow outside and have given April 30th as the deadline to get one. You can have up to six plants indoors by state law, and no more than a total of six plants, including outdoor growing. If you’re found without a permit, you could be fined or penalized. The permits are $250 to pay the city for administering the program.

A man accused of shooting into a group of Caltrans workers and cops has been deemed competent to stand trial, but pleaded no contest. Joshua Caleb Brown’s trial was on hold while he was examined by yet another doctor after the incident. Multiple docs examined the man with the court deciding he could help in his own defense and understand the proceedings. Brown was charged with several crimes including, assault with a firearm on a peace officer, threats to commit a crime and discharging firearm negligently. He recently pleaded no contest to shooting the gun. Now the probation department will come up with a sentencing recommendation. He’s set to be sentenced next week.

Two men arrested in the death of a teenager in Eureka last year. Redheaded Blackbelt reporting Tavin Evans and Anthony Burgess arrested last week for the death of 16 year old Alyssa Claybon who was found dead at a hotel in February of 2017. Her mom says it was a meth overdose that killed Claybon. The two men charged Thursday and will be in court next week, they’re currently in jail. Evans was arrested in December after a traffic stop, and a police chase. Burgess was already in state prison for a robbery in Eureka from August of last year, where he was sentenced to seven years.

The man accused of being the Golden State Killer or East Area Rapist in court for the first time. Joseph DeAngelo handcuffed to a wheelchair in court Friday. CBS Sacramento reports DeAngelo has part of a finger missing from the Vietnam War, something none of his surviving victims mentioned. Apparently the rapist always wore gloves.

Mendocino County Animal Care Services is one of more than 100 across the state who are running their Empty the Shelter event. This Saturday, May 5th, starting at 10 AM is the event. The Bissell Pet Foundation is paying for all the adoption fees for the adult dogs & cats adopted from all participating shelters. In Mendocino County though, there’s also a $25 dog license fee those adopting have to pay themselves. The Mendocino County Animal Shelter is at 298 Plant Road. For more information call 707-467-6453.

An art gallery in France finds out, oops, more than half of its paintings are fakes. The state-owned museum in the south of France which has been dedicated to the Catalan artist Étienne Terrus in Elne apparently spent as much as 160,000 euros on the forgeries for two decades. An art historian apparently raised the issue saying some of the paintings featured buildings constructed after the artists death in 1922. So then a panel of experts confirmed 82 of 140 paintings were not by the artist. The mayor of the town of Elne says it’s a catastrophe.